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Definition: Routers are small physical devices that join multiple networks together. Technically, a router is a Layer 3 gateway device, meaning that it connects two or more networks and that the router operates at the network layer of the OSI model.

Home networks typically use a wireless or wired Internet Protocol (IP) router, IP being the most common OSI network layer protocol. An IP router such as a DSL or cable modem broadband router joins the home's local area network (LAN) to the wide-area network (WAN) of the Internet.
By maintaining configuration information in a piece of storage called the routing table, wired or wireless routers also have the ability to filter traffic, either incoming or outgoing, based on the IP addresses of senders and receivers. Some routers allow a network administrator to update the routing table from a Web browser interface. Broadband routers combine the functions of a router with those of a network switch and a firewall in a single unit.

What is a Router?:

The router, at least the common home network device that we usually call a router, is the piece of network hardware that allows communication between your local home network - i.e. your personal computers and other connected devices - and the Internet.

The Router is Also Known As:

The "router" used in home and small networks is more accurately called a "residential gateway."

Important Router Facts:

A router is the first line of security from intrusion into a network. Enabling the highest level of security on the router is the best way to keep your computer system and information safe from attack.
Routers contain software called firmware that should be updated as released by the router manufacturer.
Most routers connect to other network devices only via network cables and do not require drivers to operate in Windows or other operating systems. However, routers that connect to a computer via a USB or FireWire typically require drivers to operate properly.
Routers often act as the DHCP servers in small networks, issuing unique IP addresses.

Popular Router Manufacturers:

Linksys, 3Com, Belkin, D-Link, Motorola, TRENDnet, Cisco, 2Wire

Router Description:

Routers connect a modem - like a DSL, cable, or fiber modem - to other devices to allow communication between those devices and the Internet. Most routers, even wireless routers, usually feature several network ports to connect numerous devices to the Internet simultaneously.
Typically, a router connects physically, via a network cable, to the modem via the "Internet" or "WAN" port and then physically, again via a network cable, to the network interface card in whatever wired network devices you may have. A wireless router can connect via various wireless standards to devices that also support the particular standard used.
The IP address assigned to the "WAN" or "Internet" connection is a public IP address. The IP address assigned to the "LAN" or local network connection is a private IP address. The private IP addresses assigned to a router is usually the default gateway for the various devices on the network.
Wireless routers, and wired routers with multiple connections, also act as simple network switches allowing the devices to communicate with each other. For example, several computers connected to a router can be configured to share printers and files amongst themselves.